


Here I am, thinking about you (in different languages)

by Ivanna_AFC



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst and Humor, Catra curses in Spanish, Catra is really good at flirting but only in Spanish, F/F, Fluff, HSAU, High School AU, Latina Catra, Music, Repressed Feelings, Soccer player Adora, Some hurt/comfort, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Tutor AU, musician catra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24962278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivanna_AFC/pseuds/Ivanna_AFC
Summary: Adora transfers for her senior year to Brightmoon High School, she is scared, she doesn't know anything outside the Horde Academy, she has a remaining question at the back of her mind. What would people think of her when they realize she came from the horde? So she is quite reserved and doesn't talk about her personal life, yet people would want to get to know her when she transforms into an unstoppable force on the soccer field. Also she sucks at her Spanish classes, and she needs to pass them in order to play on the team. She needs a Tutor.Catra has… complicated feelings, as a Latina WOC, a foster kid and a top student in most of her classes, sometimes people can get onto her nerves or she can hurt them without meaning to and never apologize, so she doesn't express her feelings outside of her tight group of friends, the only way you can make her talk is through music. So why is she willing to confide in a new random jock blonde girl that just happens to appear in most of her classes?They meet under school circumstances but they bond due to their feelings they keep shut inside a box.…Or the tutor AU where Catra gets to curse at Adora in Spanish, because she can.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 183





	1. Introductions Part-One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!
> 
> This Au is based on @melogkin ‘s tweet:  
> ”college au where catra flirts with adora in spanish but does it in an aggressive tone so she sounds insulting. what catra doesn't know is, Adora can understand everything she’s saying. it's fun so she plays dumb until one day, without meaning to, she flirts back. in Spanish”
> 
> Just that here Catra will get to tutor Adora in her classes because she sucks, however Adora might want to study on her own too because she wants to understand Catra when she speaks in Spanish without realizing it. Spoilers she gets surprised.
> 
> I will write the English translation for words in <> but if you prefer I can put them on the endnotes.
> 
> Twitter: @catradoraxshera
> 
> Hope you like it!

“Music it's the only universal language which needs no translation”

“La música es el único lenguaje universal, que no necesita traducción”

– Berthold Auerbach

  
  


_ Sitting on the shore, she stares at the sea, her favorite black acoustic guitar on her arms, she moves her hands at the rhythm of all her favorite songs, the chords change naturally, even the ones that one day felt really difficult to strum are now her favorites to play and uses to compose, something about the Harmony coming from the guitar and the serenity this place radiates, is what makes Catra keep dreaming.  _

_ She peeks behind her at the sound of someone walking on sand, she sees a shadow, approaching her, she can't recognize the person, yet her presence soothes her, she continues strumming, until the song ends... _

* * *

  
  


Catra always dreamed about what she would do in the future, would she go to college in search of a music major or drop out and maybe continue with her music channel, hoping the world would want to watch her videos… either way she wanted music to be a part of her life.

And alarm goes off, one she kept hearing for the past two years, Catra wanted to continue dreaming, it's not all times she has a dream as calm as this one, other times they are nightmares that have to do with– she shivers at the thought, well there goes the idea to continue her dream, it's better if she just–

”Wild Cat!” A door opened.

Catra screamed and jumped out of the bed, like if she had seen a mouse. A fear that started since the day she saw that little monster on top of her as a kid, she hasn't been the same ever since.

”Ahhh!!!– Scorpia what the fuck?!” 

Scorpia looked terrified.

”Oh my God!– I'm so sorry– I didn't mean to scare you!” she entered the room ”Please forgive me” She kneeled and took her hands while saying I'm sorry again and again, she even had tears in her eyes.

Catra rolled her eyes, spirits, she doesn't know how Scorpia and she became friends, they are completely opposites.

”Stop– I forgive you– I– you just caught me off guard that's all” she looked at her side, an habit she does when she doesn't want to talk about what's really going on.

Scorpia gets up with a worried look, she seems to catch on Catra’s sudden change of behavior, she might have an idea of what– well moreover whom it's about, after all, that's the reason Catra stays at her house in the first place.

”You know you can talk to me” Scorpia says softly, it took a really long time for Catra to start opening up to her, and she doesn't want her to fall back again on her old manners.

”Yeah I– know” she felt a lump on her throat start developing, she didn't really want to cry right now, everything was going really well. Catra glances up and sees the other girl already opening her arms. She sighed, she knows what's coming.

Scorpia smiled and moved her arms invitingly ”Come on, you know I'm a hugger”

Catra looked hesitant yet she decided to wrap her arms around the strong frame of Scorpia, she was really fit and muscly, the result of spending a lot of time practicing as a goalkeeper, but– at the same time she is warm and soft, Catra smiles removing a tear threatening to fall from her left eye.

”Thanks Scorpia”

”Don't mention it” 

Catra might not understand what she did to deserve a friend like Scorpia in the first place, but she is grateful she had her. Scorpia never gave up on their friendship, even if she has been a major pain in the ass for the past 5 years.

”Now come on, we need to get ready for school, it's our first day!”

”Ugh” Catra whined and jumped back over the unmade bed ”come on– we have had plenty of first days, saltémonos este día <let's skip this day>” 

Scorpia shrieked and put her hands on her chest like if what Catra said wounded her deeply or if she had said something unthinkable, probably her head was just processing what she said, finally Scorpia shook her head.

”Nop, no we are not skipping– not doing that, you know I have training and also– it's the first day  _ for our last high school year– how come you are not excited?!–  _ look– first we will meet Entrapta at the entrance, like the super pal trio we are, and we will go to math– or maybe science– I don't remember the schedule– like at all– or better yet we–”

Catra muffled the sound of Scorpia rambling voice with a pillow on her face, then it hit her, she opened her eyes in realization, Scorpia was right, they were about to start their senior year of high school, it was really– well kinda important, it meant Catra only had approximately.. 180 days to decide on what to do with her life, if she would go to college or continue her Youtube channel with 52 subscribers, god, she thinks, that's not enough, Catra even believes that half of those subscribers are Scorpia’s different accounts. She was well– pretty supportive.

”we will win the championship –and then off to college!” 

Catra comes back just when Scorpia stops her rambling.

She crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow ”Did you– did you just imagine our whole year in a few minutes?”

”What? NO!” Catra looked at her pointedly, a super effective way to break Scorpia even if the girl was really bad at lying. ”I mean– maybe?”

She shook her head ”Come on dumbass you just wasted time rambling, it's getting late, we need to go, what time is it?”

”Oh I knew it would happen so I re-programmed your alarm while you were sleeping, you looked so cute sleeping tho, like a kitten purring” 

”Scorpia” she said sternly.

”Oh right” she looked at the clock in her left arm, ”we still have like an hour to go?”

”An hour– What?!– Scorpia!!!”

* * *

  
  
  


”Are you ready dearie?”

”Yes Nana, I've been ready for some time now” she fondly rolled her eyes, that was the third time her nana asked her the same question.

”My Adora, remember time is an illusion”

Adora laughed ”I know nana Razz, jeez” she wrapped her nana in a bear hug. ”we have to enjoy the present”

It was really uncomfortable when the seatbelt and the gearshift were in the middle of their embrace, but Adora managed, she would never not hug her grandmother.

”Ugh you're growing so fast I still remember when you entered school for the first time, so tiny, your eyes so blue and with light, so beautiful– they still are, some might say they looked like magic, but I say the magic has always been inside you dearie, just like your mother”

Adora didn't really want to cry, but can you blame her? Her nana was really good at that, she would tell really good memories or inspiring phrases to her, and she would end up with tears in her eyes. 

And she didn't want people to think she had been crying on her first day in a different school.

”Come on nana Razz, I have a reputation to maintain, you know, new transfer from the horde, star forward, ex-captain of the soccer team” she said jokingly, nudging her grandmother, her voice cracking a bit.

”No offense dearie, but you are a sensitive square”

She cackled ”None taken nana but only with you” 

It was true.

Back at the horde– back at when she found herself lost in what she wanted to do, what she wanted to be or believed. 

She lived for most of the time with a wall built, sheltering her feelings. 

You needed to be tough, show no shame or remorse, in order to meddle there, that's what they would say, she was always the example to her classmates, the leader, the second in command almost, but in reality, Adora would often arrive home with new questions as if what she was doing was right, those thoughts kept running on her head most nights, making her unable to keep a good night's rest.

For almost seven years, she passed the corridor at the Horde Academy with her heart hidden under her sleeves, just like they taught her, but with her family, she was different, she had a bright personality if only people were willing to get to know her.

But of course only her mom and her nana knew that, they were the only reason she didn't convert into one of those horde’s clones, doing whatever the hell the principal wanted.

They were and are her anchor.

Her strength to face new obstacles.

  
  


* * *

  
  


_ 🎶 Bailando solo en la oscuridad  _

_ Te vas a acostumbrar a ver toda la vida pasar _

_ Igual que una promesa al anochecer  _

_ Te puedes disolver al borde de un vaso de cristal 🎶 _

”Ok– I  _ know _ that I cut you some  _ precious  _ sleep, but are you honestly going to punish me with lyrics that I don't understand?”

”You know Spanish”

”Well the basics yeah, but, I have to transform the words in my head and then think of what they mean or what I have to say”

”Oh wow, just what I have to do, when I speak English” Catra rolled her eyes and continued singing.

”Alright that's fair, but like Spanish is more difficult you have like same words with like different meanings–”

A different song came through the speakers and made Catra start singing more loudly.

”–and you are also in AP Spanish”

”Well yeah because I practiced, just like you are”

”Ok yeah but–”

”If you are going to say because I'm Latina I'm going to throw your phone at the sidewalk”

”I wasn't– I– well I was but, and I know you don't like to talk about it, but did your parents teach you Spanish?”

”Ugh” Catra downed the volume.

Catra didn't like to talk about her family or well lack of, but they did teach her everything she knows about Spanish, something about talking the same language as her parents did, makes her feel close to them, so that was why, even though she already knew Spanish, she took the classes without absence, even if her teachers pronounced some words funny. 

But hey it helped her to practice her two languages.

”Yeah they taught me almost everything I know about Spanish, before we moved here– and you know– what happened next–”

”Yeah–” Scorpia knows ”Hey”

Catra was looking out the window, the music filling the silence, she wasn't really paying attention to the lyrics anymore. She kept watching the grounds that belonged to their high school getting closer.

  
  


”I’m sor–” Scorpia stopped on her tracks, she knows that Catra hates when people feel sorry for her ”I– thanks for telling me, and yeah, but remember– you can do this”

Catra watched people already filling the entrance of the school, she repeated in a small voice.

”I can do this” she looked at Scorpia with a bittersweet smile, she said more loudly this time ”We can do this”

They smiled.

* * *

  
  


Adora stopped on the steps, she stared at the sign above her, ” _ Brightmoon High school”,  _ it read, it was really different from the Horde Academy where all the colors were a mix of black, gray, green and red, here in Brightmoon, they were all pastel colors, yellow, pink, purple.

It was a pretty big contrast, she noticed, she didn't know if she was terrified or excited at the prospect, maybe both, she checked her schedule next, today she had chemistry, math, Spanish, Arts and then training, she could do that. She couldn't wait to meet her new team, she might recognize some of them from the previous games against them with the Horde, but she wants to put a name on their faces. She just hopes they don't hate her.

Besides soccer Adora was especially interested in Arts, she loved everything that had to do with them, painting, videos, photography and music, her mother passed through her the appreciation for all types of arts, that and history, she even knows how to read and write in a language long forgotten because of her.

Adora missed her.

”Well here comes nothing” she mumbles.

Just when she is about to pass the big doors, she sees a group of three girls on the entrance, two of them shout like if they hadn't seen each other for years, one has really long purple hair dressed in overalls and a white and purple shirt and other had white short hair, dressed in black jeans and a red t-shirt, she was really tall and muscular, probably a goalkeeper Adora thought, finally she settles her sight on a lanky girl, with long and wild brown hair and brown olive skin, she doesn't know why she kept staring, it doesn't have to do with that brown-haired girl dressed in a black leather jacket that oh fits her so nicely, or her wine-colored jeans that match her half red half orange shirt, not even when she gets to see that her eyes are a different color each– nope that's not the reason– at all.

Adora dorkily blushes as she looks away, she crosses the big double doors.

_ ’Great now I’ve lost time, that I could've used to look for my classroom’  _ she thought, well– with a last intake of air and a ’ _ Let's do this’ mantra  _ for encouragement, she continued her path.

* * *

  
  


Catra didn't say anything about a blonde girl with a red hoodie and gray sweatpants, who seemed so interested in staring at her friends, and maybe her?

She ignored the pounding stare she kind of felt on her back and continued studying Entrapta and Scorpia exciting reunion. 

_ Come on _ they have just hung out last Friday, it looked like they haven't seen each other in ages.

She sighed, curiosity got the best of her and she turned her head again, the blonde girl wasn't there anymore.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Adora was just entering her password on her locker, when a voice with an accent sounded through the school speakers.

” _ Adora Grayskull please report at the principal's office, Adora Grayskull please report at the principal's office..” _

The voice continued like a recorder.

Just what she feared, she has just put a foot inside school and now the principal wants to see her at her office? Fuck they probably realized that welcoming an ex Horde student wasn't a good idea and they couldn't wait to kick her out.

Ok she was overreacting, but with some fear remaining at the back of her head, she went looking for the office, at least she didn't have to ask for directions, she just followed the biggest purple door that read on a crystal panel principal’s office,  _ what was with this high school and their love for bright colors? Oh right– Brightmoon…  _

Adora shook her head, ’ _ okay Adora concentrate!’ _ she chastised herself, she took a breath in to let her nerves disappear and knocked at the door.

”Come in” A muffled and sweet voice answered, just like the one on the speakers.

”You wanted to see me, Principal– Um” Adora couldn't see a plate on the desk, unlike in the horde, where teachers wanted their names exposed, for everyone to attend them by their complete name. ”Um– Ma'am– I mean your Majesty– Sir– Boss-” She squared her shoulders and raised a hand in salute.

The director raised an eyebrow and left a small chuckle, well maybe it isn't something bad if she made the principal laugh.

”Please call me Angella, Adora, take a seat please” Adora nodded ”You must wonder why I called you here?”

Adora rubbed the back of her neck, and old habit she did when she was nervous ”Um– yeah”

Angella got up from her chair and walked to the window, she looked outside, below her was the entrance of the school, glancing at all the students from all parts of Etheria that found a place there on Brightmoon.

”I know you just transferred from Horde”

The first thought Adora had was  _ ’For She-Ra’s spirits she's really tall _ ’. 

The second thought she had was’ _ Oh fuck, here it comes’  _ Adora was sensing the possible disapproval, she just awaited the principal to kick her out of the door herself, people probably filling the hallways cheering, and then she would have to drag her kicked ass back to the horde–

”I called you here so you can get to know your guide someone who could give you directions to all your classes and maybe give you a tour around the school– of course, only if you approve”

Color returned to the blonde girl, she nodded rapidly, for a moment Angella feared the state of the girl’s neck.

”Alright, excuse me while I make a call” she took the phone on her desk ”Hello? Juliet- could you bring Glimmer to my office, please?— No, I don't know where she is at?— Well drag her even if she doesn't want to!” 

Adora noticed the stern look on the principal's face and kept in her mind to never make her mad. She left a big sigh of relief ”For a moment there I thought you would kick me out of Brightmoon”

The woman looked at her questioningly ”why would I kick you out? Are you problematic Adora?”

”Oh no!– I mean” she cleared her throat ”no, sorry it's just– well I'm– I was from the Horde, your rival high school since– always and maybe I thought I don't know– you would expel me or something like that, that's what the Horde would have done”

”Listen attentively Adora, we have to sayings here at Brightmoon, one, everyone is welcomed here, you would be treated as an equal and second we believe in second chances you can be given many opportunities as necessary”.

”Thank you principal Angella”

”Your welcome, now that your nerves got settled, we just have to wait until Glimm–”

They got interrupted by an angry girl with short pink-hair like principal Angella only that contrary to the long pink hair of the adult, hers was styled in kinda like a bob haircut, she was wearing some ripped short jeans, a purple jacket and a black with white letters t-shirt that read ” _ The future is female _ ” Adora shared the sentiment. This girl seemed ready to start a revolution.

” _ Mom _ ! I– I don't know what Dad told you but I swear it wasn't my idea!!– we were just–” the girl stops and looks surprised that they were in fact, not alone.

Principal Angella clears her throat ”Glimmer how many times do I have to tell you not to come barreling through the door?!”

”Like– ten times mom” she said mockingly

”More like hundred times– and– remember not to call me mom while on school hours”

”Yeah, sorry– _Principal Angella_ ” 

This girl, Glimmer was it? Now that she remembers, she has seen the girl before, in a few matches actually, a midfielder full of energy, she was really good, great control with the ball, and moved graciously with it too, like if she could teletransport, she was pretty rough too, she gave a sick kick right to the shin, Adora rubs her shin at the memory.

”Now please, if you could take a seat, this is Adora” Adora waved shyly, Glimmer raised an eyebrow and her eyes went white with realization.

”Wait– Adora?– the captain from the Horde’s soccer team?!”

”Um–” Adora didn't know what to say, she knew she had a rreputation, now this was the reaction she expected, to be honest, she made a complete 360 turn when she played at the field, they used to name her Lord Adora, a perfectionist, she was expected greatness and someday to assume Principal Prime’s position as the most valuable player on the Horde Academy.

To have power and recognition, that was what the Horde strived for, but it was never what Adora craved, not for some years now.

Her objective at this moment were; to get a soccer scholarship to play in college, a major in Arts and maybe one day play soccer professionally on Etheria’s National Team. 

She never wanted people to expect something from her, yet she sought for their validation.

  
  


”Mom how did you agree to this– did you remember what happened last year?”

Oh right, last year's disaster at the semifinals game, it was the straw that broke the camel's back <la gota que colmó el vaso> for Adora, which made her decide that the Horde wasn't her place. 

What happened was that Hordak, the co-captain of the soccer team, whom Adora may say was really jealous of her position as captain, made a last-minute slide ”just outside” of the penalty area, it ended with an ACL torn from a Brightmoon player and a pass to the final for the Horde against the Crimson Waste. 

People from all around Etheria’s sports community, discussed whether or not was a penalty kick, Adora thinks it was, when she saw the resume the player had already crossed the box, Brightmoon should have gotten the penalty, but the referee ended the game, that and many other times has the Horde cheated, failing on the sacred fair play of the game, Adora was pretty upset even if they won the championship for the third time on a row.

”No? Well let me refresh your memory, they bought the referee!”

Adora sighed and sank further on her seat, she knew that! That's why she got out of that zone of terror.

”And then Starla is out for the whole year!”

Starla, that was her name, fuck now Adora feels more terrible for not knowing.

”Glimmer, stop it now!” the girl got quiet. ”Adora has nothing to do with–”

”But–”

”Now you'll get to hear me, in Brightmoon we believe in what?”

”Second chances”

”And?”

”To be a safe place for everyone” she grumbled

”Right– so now– could you be really kind and show Adora around? I believe you have first period together and it starts in 5 minutes”

Glimmer groaned ”Ugh alright”

”Come here horde soldier I'll show you around”

Adora got up, she scrunched her eyebrows at the nickname but didn't comment on it, she followed the girl.

Just when she was about to shut the door of the office a voice called.

”Be kind Glimmer!”

It sounded more like Glimmah to Adora, but well who was her to judge.

”Ok Horde soldier let's go to Chemistry with my Aunt Casta, I can't believe you are in AP Chemistry, I thought you all from the horde were dumb”

Adora rolled her eyes ’ _ Ok, this girl was being a real pain in her ass’  _ but then again she stayed quiet.

”Not much of a talker, huh?” Glimmer left an exasperated sigh, the bell rang signaling the classes were about to start ”Come on, we are almost there”

* * *

”And then I followed– well more like I hacked the computer servers IP address so I could track the Horde Academy’s network and through some of their workers, I got to enter their page and I posted a lot of cat memes and messed up with their schedule just before classes started!” Entrapta shouted and laughed maniacally in the hall, and yes they weren't alone.

Catra and Entrapta were in front of their lockers, that happened to be together, both of them were in AP Chemistry so it was normal for them to walk together to class, Scorpia went to Calculus to the other side of the building.

Entrapta was great yet sometimes a little cucú <crazy> but one of her closest friends nevertheless– well that's when she made sense and talked clearly to Catra.

Catra rolled her eyes ”Entrapta in Spanish please”

”Oh, do you want me to tell you in Spanish?– OK!– Así que hackee la dirección IP de los servidores de la Horda y–”

”No! I meant– explain what you said– it's an expression– like if you want someone to understand like– your um– technical language”

”Ohhh!– well then– let's say I got the password to the Horde’s official web page and I messed with it, and now every student has a cat printed in their schedule”

Ok now that made Catra laugh ”Nice– you are pretty smart”

”Thanks! I know! and you are too, you are in almost all AP classes after all!– That's a compliment btw”

”Gracias Entrapta” <Thanks Entrapta>

”De nada!” <You are welcome!>

The bell went off.

Time for some Chemistry.

* * *

  
Most of the students had already taken a place, it looked like everyone had to sit with a pair, there were just five more open spaces, all of the back row was already occupied, pinche suerte la mía <fucking good luck of mine> Catra rolled her eyes and groaned, ’ _ lo que me faltaba, ahora tendré que sentarme cerca de los profesores’ <great just what I needed, now I'll have to sit in front of the teachers> _

The vacant places were all scattered, three on the middle row separated from each other, and two available in the front row. But then someone got up from their seat and now there were two empty spaces free in the middle row,  _ great! _ Now Entrapta and her will–

Wait where is Entrapta?

She looked around the classroom there she was, sitting in the front row, just like the nerd she was.

”Entrapta ¿qué chingados? <What the fuck> Come sit here”

Entrapta turned around on her chair glancing at Catra with scrunched eyebrows ”Why?”

”So the two of us can sit together?”

Someone arrived and took the place on a middle seat, thank She–Ra it wasn't the one that had the two chairs next to each other.

”Um–” Entrapta seemed to calculate something on her head like the pros and cons of seating arrangements ”No thanks I'm fine here, I'm not tall enough so I want to get to see all the whiteboard and the first row seems like the more profitable option I should choose in order to accomplish that”

_ Ugh! _ Catra groaned there was no changing her mind around that. ”Do as you please”

”Thanks I will!”

She shook her head, why does she bother?

She grabbed her things and took a seat, she put her things at the chair next to her, like if she was saving the place for someone,  _ la vieja confiable <the ol’ reliable technique>. _

It didn't seem like more people would enter the classroom– but then again she heard the sound of heels, probably the professor or someone who really wanted to fall on their ass–

Professor Casta came into view outside the classroom, and Catra smirked, guess Entrapta would have to sit with her now–

But she wasn't alone; she was accompanied by another person,  _ great her _ , Catra muttered, just when she thought she could escape the  _ ’look at me my mom is the principal’  _ girl.

Well at least she knew she wouldn't sit with her; Sparkles and her were basically like adversaries, yet Catra thinks the girl once had a crush on her.

They entered the classroom, the smirk Catra had plastered on her face quickly dissolved into an interested glance when she saw that in fact, it wasn't only Glimmer and professor Casta who stood in front of the class, but also the blonde pony-tail girl she saw at the entrance.

_ ’So the girl was indeed new’ _

Now that Catra could get a better look at her- and not gawking as the girl did before- she could see that she was really different from everyone, her stance was really rigid, like a soldier and honestly kinda cute–

Catra blushed, she couldn't have those thoughts, nope– go back, go back, she had a reputation to maintain, Catra didn't do well with feelings.

”Now everyone, as you may have noticed there's a new face around us”

Adora glanced down, and fumbled with her backpack straps, she stopped and clasped her hands behind her back, the stance was an unconscious thing she made, a way to not show weakness inside the Horde.

Adora wasn't comfortable under the sight of curious eyes, the last thing she expected was to be center of attention, once again, back at the Horde when they had a new student or well recruit they would make them an initiation process, she smiles at the memory of Kyle being covered in green gup, he lasted probably three days with remains of that in his hair. 

There were mostly bad memories from the Horde but also some good ones.

  
  


Catra watched the girl’s face change from the nervous hard exterior she wanted to display, to a goofy smile in a matter of seconds.

’ _ Dumbass’  _ Catra thought.

”Alright let's start! Adora why don't you introduce yourself?!” The teacher clapped her hands and smiled at her, she seemed more excited than Adora herself, well– here goes nothing.

Adora stood with an upright face, hands clasped on her back and squares shoulders.

”Um- My name is Adora Grayskull” she looked at her sides, her voice sounded like if she was reading a rebel recruitment, ”and I'm the new transfer student here at Brightmoon for my senior year”

Teacher Casta looked at her with proud eyes ”Tell us about your interests Adora and your pronouns please, even if you already wrote them in your documents, here at Brightmoon we are very respectful of each pronouns each one of us chooses”

Adora was surprised, nobody at the Horde was ever that interested in knowing the pronouns of each one of them, they just assumed their pronouns, sometimes they even got them wrong.

”Well– my pronouns are she/her, Um– I like arts, history, art history, so that's three and– I like to go to the gym and I play soccer too”

Catra smiled to herself  _ ’Great a dork, jock and a dumbass– what a weird combination’  _ she thought, but then again it kinda fitted her.

”Oh that's really great Adora! You should know that here at Brightmoon we have an art’s course and also a soccer team, so you will fit just right in!”

”Thank you professor Casta”

”Now please have a seat, you can sit with Catra over there in the middle row”

Catra straightened her back at the mention of her name, ’ _ ptm <fuck>’  _ she has just noticed that the only available seat, was the one being occupied by her backpack. She looked at Glimmer in the first row, she had a smug look on her face, that  _ fucker _ she thought, well she preferred the new girl seating next to her over Glimmer a hundred times.

”Catra please put your things down and let Adora seat next to you”

”Yes, teacher Casta”

”Well let's begin with the class, shall we? Oh I almost forgot– remember that the person sitting next to you, will be your lab partner for this semester!”

  
  


Catra exhaled through her nostrils, fucking perfect, she closed her eyes, _yeah what a great start for this senior year._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: 
> 
> Bailando Solo – Los Bunkers


	2. Introductions Part-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a look at some of Catra and Adora's feelings and how they act around people.  
> It's a continuation to the first chapter!
> 
> Hope you like it!

  
To say Chemistry went well was an understatement, Adora didn't make any weird noise (like talking) or had a tapping tick that could distract Catra easily, she didn't bother her at all, to be honest she didn't even address Catra in all 50 minutes of class, Catra thought the blonde girl would have asked simple questions like most new students would, so they could meet people, but Adora was different.

The only exchange of words they shared, happened when the girl broke her pencil tip when they were doing some problems, searched in her gray backpack and left a silent _fuck_ cause the dork forgot her sharpener, she shakes her head at the memory. Catra had mercy on her and gave her a pencil, she always carried too many pencils so when that happened to her she wouldn't need to stand up, lose time, have people glancing at her or even make a mess of trash, she'd do that at home. And even then, Adora only responded with a small ”thanks, I will give it back” to which the Latina responded with a ”keep it”.

That was the only interaction the two of them had, by the end of the class, then she just watched her disappear with Sparkles.

Catra was… uncommonly interested.

* * *

  
  


Adora and Glimmer continued walking together through the school corridors, Adora still needed directions to her classes and Glimmer was still obliged to be her guide, until– well until she knew where all her classes were going to be held. Also why did all corridors look the same?!

”So what did you think of chemistry, was it hard?” Glimmer wondered, Adora couldn't tell if the girl was being nice or just wanted to know if she was dumb, like she said before. 

Adora wanted to speak her mind to her, she was taught from a young age, to always stand up for herself and for others, but this time she would let it go.

”It was good, pretty easy too”

The girl hummed ”You must’ve had a lot of chemistry classes back in the horde, right? You know they sometimes say science is for the mad”

Adora was right, she was _being an ass_.

”And how was sharing space with _Catra?”_ she pronounced the name with a different tone.

Adora shrugged, she wouldn't ask what those two had against each other, but if Glimmer is like this with everyone there must be a reason.

”Good, too, she gave me a pencil” 

Glimmer looked surprised, and questionly looked up to Adora, the girl was like 6 inches (15 cm) taller than her. She raised an eyebrow ”She did??”

”Yeah–” Adora glanced at Glimmer who was gaping like she couldn't believe what Adora just told her. ”Why?”

She shook her head ”No, nothing just– she keeps all her things close to her chest–” she rolled her eyes ” is surprising she gave away one to you”

Adora saw the pink-haired girl lost a little, the nature in Adora wanted to help her and ask her what did she mean with that, but the other half of her wanted to continue with this hard exterior she was showing, she left a sigh, sometimes taking decisions was tough, she would make an exception this time– just because she didn't want Glimmer to keep thinking of her as a Horde dumbass or senseless asshole, though maybe she could show it with a little sarcasm, so it wouldn't look like she cared too much.

They continued walking through classrooms, it made Adora wonder if Glimmer was really paying attention to where she was going. After some seconds of silence she left out.

”For someone you can't stand, you seem to be interested in what she does”

Glimmer blushed, and huffed ”Oh– believe me I _can't_ stand her” she crossed her arms ”I just wanted to know what you did, the first time I tried to talk to her, she– I think she cursed at me in Spanish– and told me to shut up”

Adora was dumbfounded ` _What was Spanish?’_ She never heard of that back at the Horde, but she didn't want to ask and let Glimmer tease her. So she just settled with keeping a conversation about that girl Catra, she seemed to be on Glimmer's nerves so right now she was on her good books.

”We didn't talk at all– she didn't seem like she wanted people to talk to her– so I didn't–” she reasoned ”I wasn't going to talk either way”

Glimmer laughed ”Wow, that's surprising– you haven't been victim of Catra’s wrath on your first day” 

They stopped in front of a door, they continued talking even when most of the students were already inside and classes were about to start.

”What does that mean?”

”Well she has a tendency to–”

”Hey Glimmer!!!”

”Bow!!”

Adora watched a dark-skinned and fairly muscular boy wearing a yellow crop top that showed his abdomen along with some blue jeans, she saw the girl launch herself at him, and suddenly start laughing, _’they must be friends’_ she reasoned. The girl completely changed from how she acted around Adora with this boy.

”Bow! What are you doing here?! I thought you had AP Calculus?!”

”Oh I have, but I'm just across from you, look I'm in programming and Entrapta is here as well!!!”

”Oh my She–ra!!, Bow that's awesome!! I knew you could get in!”

Adora suddenly found the floor really interesting, she wondered if those two were always that loud together, they couldn't stop yelling and were just in front of each other, but well Adora didn't mind at all, she didn't want to cut whatever that was for the two of them so she just leaned on the wall next to the door, she hasn't entered because she didn't want to get in and find out that this was just a random classroom they stopped at.

”Thank you!! I wanted to tell you but then I saw Teacher Juliet dragging you to your mom, and I didn't want Angella mad at me–I'm on her good list– and– hey what's your name?”

Adora looked up ”Um– me?”

”Yeah!” He was smiling, Bow seemed rather nice, the kind of person who could befriend almost everyone.

”I'm–”

”That's Adora...she's– new here, that's why mom dragged me to her office, I'm her new guide around school”

She was a little insulted the short-girl interrupted her, but then again she didn't say she was from the Horde to her friend, so maybe she kind of respected her?

”Oh well I'm Bow!, and I can show you around too!!” He waved at her ”Oh– let me see your schedule, maybe we have classes together!”

Adora grabbed the folded piece of paper from her pants and handed it to him.

Bow shrieked ”Look we have history and literature together! Oh– and the three of us share gym class!– Yes! new addition to the best–friend squad!”

”Wait WHAT?!” Both Adora and Glimmer shouted in unison.

Their shouts were drowned by the ringing of the bell, Glimmer looked at Bow who was retreating inside the classroom in front of them.

”See you later Glimmer! It was nice meeting you, Adora!”

”Um– you too?”

They entered the classroom, Adora grabbed a seat on the first row, the only row available, people must hate math over here, Adora wasn't really fond of it either but she didn't mind it, she was surprised that Glimmer chose to sit on the chair right next to her.

”What do you think you are doing?” Glimmer asked

Adora stopped taking out her things ”Um– trying to take class?”

Glimmer facepalmed herself ”No I mean– with Bow”

”I don't think I get what you are talking about.”

”Just– don't think, that because I didn't tell him that you are from the Horde, means that you can hang out with us, just because you _recently had a change of heart_ and switched schools, doesn't mean that I would let my guard down on you, or that I would let Bow do that”

Something on Adora snapped ”Ok–that's it–” she huffed ”I don't know what your problem is with me but I didn't want any of this, I could find my classes alone, without a guide and obviously I didn't ask for your little lectures and you being mad at me when I haven't even done anything to you” Oops! Adora exploded ”It took me a while to accept this change myself, for you to start assuming things of me” 

She wanted to be embarrassed for doing that to Glimmer but the girl kinda deserved it, she needed someone to call out on her, so she could notice she was doing something wrong herself. Adora felt quite relieved, just when she was on the soccer field, she kinda needed this release too, she had a lot of pent up emotions to cope with– and soccer was usually her breather but until the season started, this will have to do.

  
  


Glimmer was quiet for the rest of the class.

* * *

  
  


One of the only things that could distract Catra from being on her mind was Spanish, yeah she mostly used English in her everyday life, but this class was where she could feel truly free.

Brightmoon was good, most of the students respected each other and didn't make judging comments from where they were, their likes or their sexuality, Catra knew she should feel safe to be herself here on Brightmoon. But to be fair all these years, she didn't know who–aside from her two friends–, to trust, she has had to keep her life personal and that ended with her bottling up her emotions.

  
  


Half of the Spanish class passed by fast, the only minutes Catra clearly enjoyed and didn't find them lacking or not enjoyable, is how they say ’ _el tiempo se pasa volando cuando te estás divirtiendo’_ <time flies by, when you're having fun> she could enjoy something and it wouldn't feel like an obligation to her. 

Besides Spanish, music lessons was another subject that could make her feel like that..

While in class Catra couldn't help but let her mind wander with thoughts about a certain blonde girl, she didn't know this girl, _like at all_ , but she kind of felt connected to her somehow, like she could sense _things_ – like when she was disturbed with a difficult problem on the whiteboard she would scrunch her eyebrows or she could sense her desperation each time she erased something on her notebook. 

Catra didn't understand it, she has never felt empathy or understanding over someone she hadn't known for at least two weeks, that's why it surprised her when she subconsciously gave away one of her precious pencils to the other girl, yeah she had like six of them lying around on her backpack, but she had a special affection to all of them, she had the tendency to keep her things on multiples of six– her favorite number– six pencils, six erasers, thirty-six colors, it was her ’messy organization-system’, one she has fallen by for quite some time now. 

This girl was an enigma to Catra, she couldn't believe she'd think this, but it was one enigma she kind of wanted to crack–

”Catra ¿sigues con nosotros?” <Catra are you still following?>

Catra blushed she must have wandered for far too long ”Si profesor Lance, estoy poniendo atención” <Yes teacher Lance, I'm paying attention>

“Bien, entonces ¿podrías leer en voz alta el texto de la página 21 y decirnos cuál es su propósito?” <Well then, could you read the text on page 21 aloud and tell us what it's purpose is?>

Catra nodded and looked down at her book and quickly skimmed the short text, she hasn't been in fact, _paying attention_ but well– how hard could it be, after spending almost all your life studying the language, she read aloud:

Estimado señor Rodrigo: 

Le escribo en respuesta a su oferta de trabajo publicada en línea para el puesto de maestro de historia en su escuela. He mirado el sitio de su escuela y estoy seguro de que sería un ambiente en el cual me gustaría trabajar. 

<Dear Mr. Rodrigo:

I am writing to you in response to your online job offer, for the history teacher position at your school. I have looked at the school site and I am sure it would be an environment in which I would like to be a part of>

Oh! Catra had the answer

“¿Y bien?” <Well then?> The teacher asked with a smile on his face.

”Está solicitando un puesto de trabajo” <They are applying for a job>

”Muy bien! Es correcto Catra, ahora como verán–“ <Great! that's correct Catra, now as you'll see–>

The professor carried on with the class.

Catra was almost ashamed she got called out as a result of thinking about a certain blonde girl in a ponytail who for some kind of reason had a strange puff on top of her head, but then again she was almost ashamed... almost.

  
  


_’¡Mierda! <Shit!> ‘What am I thinking?!’ _

  
  


Once class finished, the Latina was up off her chair ready to storm out of the classroom, like a shooting star soaring through the sky, only two more hours until music class.

She was so ready to have an instrument again on her grasp, it's been 24 hours, but still– she couldn't wait to–

”Hey Catra, could you stay for some time, please?”

She didn't know what her Spanish professor wanted this time, she's been well– excellent in class and just for today she got sidetracked by– some thoughts– of _someone_ but it _won't_ happen _again._

”Um- sure”

”It's nothing bad, I can assure you”– he smiled ”so this year at Brightmoon–”

Catra’s eyes went white– please no– don't tell her– the teacher needed her for another choreography or theater lines for the freshmen– she didn't like to spend time with other people much less with people younger than her.

”We are implementing a program of tutoring at the library George, Angella and me!”

Oh _oh! Well that's pretty different from what she was thinking._

”And well we wanted to know if you wanted to form part of the program, you are one of our best students out there” he was hopeful but Catra was hesitant. ”And well– each tutor would earn some money and credits extra too, so it would be a win-win for everyone, we want to provide all help for students and well sometimes it could be clearer when students learned from other students”.

Catra was uncertain at the offer, on one side she needed to earn money, cause looking for a job, then going to school and working on her channel wouldn't come as easy as she expected, not when she wanted to avoid her foster mother, and also she couldn't be living rent free on Scorpia’s apartment, though her moms paid for it, she wanted to give back something. 

On the other side, she wouldn't know who she would end up tutoring, what if she ended up with a loud and noisy teenager, who wasn't willing to learn or even worse one of those dumb jocks.

”I– I don't know, teach”

”Look it's alright if you think about it, just know that applications will be open today all day, if you want–” Catra nodded, she was about to turn around when the teacher spoke again ”you know it's amazing to share your knowledge with someone, who knows maybe you could learn too”

Catra stopped on her tracks for a moment considering the invitation, silently she continued her way to the break. 

* * *

  
  


After Calculus, came break time, Adora could feel her mouth watering at all the things she saw in the cafeteria, the horde wasn't all that free in selecting food, they would always deliver a glass of water, a ration bar and a sandwich (yeah, it wasn't all that savory).

So to have a different meal apart from something she just ate for need, was really amazing to her, she almost inhaled her food.

Bow and Glimmer took note of the girl in front of them, eating the food like if she was starving, so they didn't say anything except sit together and keep company to the new girl.

Adora was conscious that Glimmer was acting calmer around her, that or she was really pissed and awaiting for their training to collide with her shin once again, we'll at least Bow would be there to try to be a mediator. 

Bow of course, could feel tension, but managed not to mention it, he would talk to Glimmer about it after school. He knew her the most and would tell him what was wrong.

They made a short conversation about the soccer team, he was also a midfielder like Glimmer, they were called– well more like called themselves the heart duo. He enjoyed archery as a pastime but he had to keep that a secret, so he just settled with soccer. Bow even said she would fit just right in because their last forward was out due to an injury, Adora felt bad at that, she wondered if Bow remembered her from the Horde.

The pink-haired girl didn't say anything about the two of them talking, not only that but Glimmer didn't say anything when Bow started talking to her about why he loved History and how his dads, were historians, even they gave lectures here at Brightmoon.

”Lance is the Spanish professor for both AP and Basics– oh he also kinda manages dance classes for freshmen” Bows said animatedly 

( _Adora still didn't know what that was –and right now, she's just too afraid to ask– when everyone mentioned it so mindlessly)_

”–and George is our History teacher, not only that but they help at the school library, they donated a lot of the history books there!”

Adora smiled at his excitement, she liked books too, nothing about falling inside a different reality while reading.

He even talked about his life dilemma that his dads wanted him to be a historian just like them, everybody on his family were historians, ”it ran on his blood, or so they'd say”, but even though he loved History and all the topics around the legend of She-Ra, the war and the first ones, he didn't want to dedicate all his life in that, yet he was frightened to tell that to his dads.

Adora just listened until the break ended, Glimmer still hadn't said a word, she just kept playing with her food, not really in the mood to eat, so when Adora kept glancing at her plate, she just passed it to the other girl.

Bow was pretty open with new people, he could make a conversation with almost anything or anyone, at least Adora didn't have to talk about herself, she could just follow Bow, while he gave her space to open up when she was ready, he was that sympathetic.

* * *

”So what's bothering my bestie?” Scorpia said, she was such a cinnamon roll, such a contrast against the mess Catra considered herself.

”Not your bestie” Catra mumbled.

”Well actually, based on statistics and numbers, Scorpia and you have known each other for around five years and been friends, so technically she can be your best-friend” Entrapta reasoned, she was cutting her food in miniature sizes.

”See Entrapta agrees!”

”Whatever– but I'm not calling you that”

”Fair enough” she smiled, knowing that one day Catra would crack, it was just a matter of time.

They were on their break period, sitting on a table far away from the mess of people in the cafeteria, mostly for her sake, so sometimes she wondered, if they would be better without having to be close around her, she could have those crippling thoughts, but then again, they stayed with her around it all.

”So–” Catra was moving her food on her plate, not all that hungry ”have you heard about the tutoring program?”

”Oh gosh yes!” Scorpia exclaimed, she was all excited around new programs in school, after she lost her fear of being in the public eye, she would sign up for almost all the activities, she would even drag Catra to some of them.

Catra remembers the time she dragged her to Salsa classes, the Latina ended up having a good time and she wasn't going to admit it, but she would dance on her own when she was alone in her room. She was really good on her feet.

”I think I'm going to sign up to get a tutor for Calculus, so I could raise my grades– Entrapta you could enroll as a tutor in some Chemistry or programming!”

”I guess I could” she brought a hand to her chin ”I've never had a lab partner before, I could show them all the discoveries of the internet and the universe I've recorded!” 

”Yes! Do that! wait– WildCat, why do you ask?”

”Guess my Spanish teacher wants me to register too– but ugh– I don't know if I could stand whoever I had to tutor or if– it would be my thing”

”What?! That's nonsense, you are one of the smartest persons I know– and I think you could do this!”

Well Catra at the moment, wasn't so sure herself.

* * *

  
  


When Adora, Glimmer and Bow arrived at the Spanish classroom, they sat together, Bow and Glimmer next to each other and Adora behind the boy, she could clearly notice the semblance between the teacher and Bow, they shared the same bubbly and friendly personality too. 

Things were going great, they shared pleasantries and a welcome back, until now Adora couldn't see what Spanish had different from another subject, nothing to be worried about— but then everything changed when her Spanish workbook attacked– 

”Okay! students open your workbooks on page 11, let's read it together and then you'll have time to answer!”

Adora tried to follow, okay she could understand the introductions and objectives, that's– good right?, but then in the instructions it read; _Write the missing accent on the following words…_

Adora was thinking, wasn't an accent like– when you pronounced things like different or funny? _How the hell would she write a sound?! Oh!_ She was really confused right now...

_”Pssh_ Bow” Adora whispered ”what's an accent?”

”Uhh– well it's kind of a– well let's say that each word has a strong syllable, so you write the accent on top, of course there are different ways an accent works too”

”Um—” the blonde girl was perplexed there were many things she didn't understand in that one sentence _’what the fuck does that mean?’._ _”_ Alright then– how do you _write_ an accent?”

Bow turned around on his chair to write some _things_ on her page ”Here”.

Adora scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, did Bow just draw random little lines on her page?

”Did you– did you just draw lines on my book?”

”What?!– No!– that's an accent!”

”And they are just _LINES_!”

”Shh! guys! cut it out– we don't want your dad to make us read in front of the class, _again_ ” Glimmer whispered back, she was getting annoyed by their hushed angry whispers.

Adora tried to carry on with Bow’s dad reading, well she ” _tried”_ following the instructions, those were clear for her, but then the exercises made no sense. She couldn't understand a thing said, this was really difficult and she knew how to read _first one for spirit's sake!_

It started with the accents and now it read gender agreement and words like ” _Los, El, La”_ , what?! _she only knew a The?!_

”Okay, now please answer those three pages and then we will review and answer them for some participation points!”

Adora pouted and rested her head on her fist, this was going to be a long class.

Some time passed and Adora was getting antsy with each minute, she started tapping her foot as a reaction, then started fidgeting with her new pencil and dropped it, she rapidly picked it up as if nothing happened, Glimmer turned around at the sound.

She noticed the blank book ”Adora, are you still on the first page?”

”Um– yeah?”

Adora could see that almost everyone finished, she decided to wait for the answers and then maybe she could understand what she had to do, she was smart, she could do that, she'll just need to review a few things.

”Adora–”

”Time! Let's get some participation going guys, remember it's an important part of your grade!”

_’Fuck’_ Adora thought when people started talking not only she couldn't understand them, but also couldn't write the answers down on her pages, she was utterly fucked on this class.

  
  
  


When class ended, Adora was packing her things and was about to go with Bow and Glimmer to her next and last class, when professor Lance called her back. 

”Hey Adora, could you stay for a moment?” 

Adora gave a sigh, she looked back at Glimmer and Bow, they gave a shrug.

”Go, we will wait outside,” Glimmer said.

Bow nodded and Adora sighed.

”Adora first I would like to welcome you to Brightmoon– I hope you're finding it very accepting! But also, I wanted to tell you that I saw you were a little quiet in the class, was everything alright?”

Adora was a little nervous ”Mr. Bow Dad– sir– I mean professor Lance, thank you, it's been great so far and yeah I– I enjoyed the class– it was a– um– Spanishly?”

The professor looked at her sympathetically ”You don't know what Spanish is, do you?

”Um– no I was kinda hoping class would explain it eventually, but–” she scratched the back of her neck

”It just went worse?”

”Yeah, I didn't know it was actually a different language” she started fidgeting with her hands.

”Yeah it's a completely different language or even culture, apart from English or even first ones, didn't you have these classes at the horde?”

Apparently, all the professors knew about her being from the Horde, so she just would let it slide for now ”No... the Horde was pretty closed around things they couldn't understand”

The teacher rested a hand underneath his chin, thinking, ”Hm– well I can't exactly remove Spanish from your studies plan, it's mandatory and I don't have many free periods to help you with it–” Then his eyes brightened recalling the last lecture he gave ”But I think you'd be the perfect candidate to have a tutor!”

”Huh– sorry what is a Tutoor?” she pronounced funnily.

”Well it's someone who can guide you through the subject, just like a professor would, just that well it's after school hours unfortunately at the library, but don't worry you would learn easily enough”

Adora tensed she was freaking out internally thinking about _no more guides,_ but she really needed a way to pass the subject, she has never failed, she doesn't want to start now and didn't want people to think lowly of her for not understanding the language, she had to agree.

She sighed ”I guess it's– alright sir.”

”Great! The list will be in front of the library tomorrow, we will write the candidates and their selected tutor–I can add you if you want?”

Adora smiled ”Thanks, it would be great, professor”

Maybe it couldn't be that bad after all.

* * *

  
  


Catra sighed, AP Calculus, she just couldn't just settle with easy math, no, she had to go for the AP form of it, it wasn't that she was bad at math, she excelled in most of her classes, but it were the exams and problems and the action of coursing the subject that made her bored out of her mind right now, not only that but Mr. Sparkles was his teacher, so she couldn't lack on class, and let Glitter think she was better than her.

  
  


Now, Calculus wasn't so bad, Mr. Sparkles Dad wasn't a bad teacher or was a copy down and solve the exercises yourself kind of math teacher, he explained well, so she wasn't all that annoyed at him or vice versa, it was just her daughter, the only one with a problem with Catra.

Catra was done with her exercises, she checked the clock, time was passing pretty slow and the only thing she had, were her thoughts, they were now revolving around the offer of her Spanish teacher– there weren't many times Catra had these types of choices, unlike her decision with college, she was used to be impulsive.

Some minutes passed, she counted them on the clock and Catra could still feel time going so fucking slow, she started tapping with her pointy black nails, she kept her nails long on her right hand for playing guitar and a little shorter on her left-hand– she kept tapping, in a rhythm, 1 & 2 & 3 & 4, like a couple of raindrops falling, she kept thinking.

Just as the clock hit the time, she took a decision.

She'll do it– she will sign for that stupid paper, ’ _que pase lo que tenga que pasar’ <come what may>. _

  
  
  


“Not that I'm not happy to see you– but where are we going again?– also we have music like in a few minutes”.

Catra mumbled something while she dragged Scorpia to the library. 

She saw the girl just stepping out of her history class and quickly took her hand and hauled her like if she had a whip.

”What was that?”

”The library–” she grumbled ”I'm going to sign up to be a tutor, I could use the extra money”

Scorpia stopped, Catra turned around to see why she was suddenly stopping, the goalkeeper had some glowy emotional and proud eyes.

”Ugh– it's not because of that, you know I dislike people– it's for the money”

The other girl clapped her hands in front of her smile ”Yeah, of course–I didn't say anything” then she wrapped the short girl in a hug ”my best-friend will help others!”

Catra rolled her eyes and smiled, but she quickly dropped it, she was doing this because of the money _of course._

* * *

”So Adora, what did my dad say?”

Glimmer and Bow were still standing, outside the classroom, Adora was surprised despite how Glimmer reacted to the news of being to the horde, she still waited for her. She wanted to believe she was giving her a chance but also she kinda was thinking of Bow and Glimmer as her captors in another timeline.

”Um– something about me needing a tutor for Spanish–”

”Oh– that's amazing!– and do you know who will be?”

”Not really–”

”Oh maybe it would be Entrapta, she is really smart and good with languages, man– I should get a tutor, too”

”Bow you don't need one– let others have the chance” Glimmer finally looked up to Adora with a sigh ”Adora I'm–” a pause, she saw the boy nudged her best friend ”I– we have to go, classes are almost starting” Bow facepalmed.

”Right– um do you know where Arts it's taking place?”

”Yeah, Bow and I–”

”Actually I have music class– and it's on the other side of the building, guess Glimmer will take you there, and probably say _something, right?”_

Glimmer rolled her eyes ”Right”

”Well great, see you at practice!”

Bow sprinted out past them, leaving an awkward feeling floating between Adora and Glimmer.

”Let's go”

* * *

What's better than the feeling of belonging somewhere, be it a guitar or a sketch pencil on your hands? 

For Catra it was reviewing music notations and symbols used for rhythm, tempo or expressions, for Adora was the understanding of different variations of shading and light.

Both Adora and Catra found themselves on their element, though the first classes would always start with theory, there was nothing like the feeling of being inside somewhere you fitted.

A calm overlapped over their feelings and thoughts.

* * *

  
  


”Oh!, I'm so ready for practice again, it's been too long since our last soccer game!” A girl with long curly blonde hair and flower pins, exclaimed.

”I know right I missed this feeling of the sun against my skin, I feel recharged!” Glimmer dropped on the grass.

Adora felt the same, it's been so long since she last touched a ball within a team, although that same team wasn't around anymore.

She settled on a bench near all the girls and boys that formed part of the soccer team, she still didn't have the training uniform like the rest of the team, which consisted in a white and purple uniform. Good thing Adora was prepared, she packed two uniforms, one white and another black, she was strapping her soccer shoes, while everyone was chatting away.

”I mean, I even missed coach Huntara, getting all over our asses” A girl with blue hair added.

”And you bet your ass I'll still be Mermista” Coach Huntara overheard them, making Adora lookup.

And _wow,_ coach Huntara was _buff!_ Adora glanced at her arms, they were like two of hers! And were displayed by her Brightmoon purple tank top, she wished she had those guns, maybe she would have to hit the gym again.

”Now that you all finished talking, let's go, we don't have time to lose!”

She whistled, rapidly everyone got up in line, Adora followed suit.

”Welcome back, girls and boys, remember we will work our asses up until the very end, I know that last season wasn't the best but we won't stop pushing, now– I see new faces around here– first you– what's your name blondie?”

Adora took a step forward, hands clasped, head held higher– _show no weakness–_ ”Im Adora and I play forward”

She heard some gasps and murmurs, ” _isn't she from the horde”, ”hey isn't that lord adora?”_

_”_ Alright blondie, just so you know, even though we need a forward you'll have to work your ass to play, I'm not going to allow fights on the team, so be sure to keep your shit together”

Adora nodded in response, even if she was a little offended, she was inspired by the coach, she knew about Huntara and her playing days on the National team, she heard she came from the horde but also changed schools to play on the crimson waste, and there she grew a name, Adora wanted something like that, she _would_ work her ass off.

”Okay for all of you newbies, there are two rules on Brightmoon’s soccer team, first one; always trust on your team and second–” coach had a glint on her eyes ”newbies always get a welcome, form the lines!”

The rest of the team got in two rows, facing each other and arms stretched, what were they doing?

”Newbies you'll have to pass _walking_ inside the rows, put your hands over your head, you seniors, you know what to do”

Adora wasn't sure what all of that was, she went first, she passed the rows, and then _OUCH!_

The other players started slapping them on the back, shoulders and arms.

Adora, was surprised but at the same time astonished, she didn't think Brightmoon had it on them.

Coach Huntara started laughing ”Now that's what I call a welcome, now _that_ is called a punishment for the losers, it will happen at every practice or game, the loser will pass through it, are we clear?”

”Yes coach!” Everyone shouted in unison.

’ _Wow, Adora wanted to be just like her!’_

”Alright, first we are going to do basic conditioning and stretching and then we are going to do a little bonding/competition of 5v5 in half-pitch, goal and we change, 2 min cap, in order to get to know everyone, and their abilities” coach announced, everyone cheered ”I will make the teams” The team groaned.

Adora ended up on the yellow team, they've got those soccer pinnies, that no matter what, they always smelled rather funny, she had Glimmer, Mermista, some guy named Sea Hawk and for a goalkeeper was another newbie like her.

The other teams were the red and purple, right now, the yellow had to sit and watch the other teams, Adora could see that the team had developed a better touch than she had seen on the semifinal, she started studying each player, some of their forts or weaknesses, it was the leader part of her, scanning all their movements. 

Red team ended up winning, now it was their turn, Adora was ready to show her moves. 

It took some time to get used to with the team, watch the little movements they would use to ask for the ball, Adora, talked like there was no tomorrow, _give me, here, pass, behind you_.

At some point she got in front of the red goalkeeper, the same she saw on the entrance with the short-white hair, she faked right but the goalkeeper anticipated her move and rapidly snatched the ball, Adora ended up rolling, she got up rapidly and was about to speak her mind, when Glimmer stretched a hand to her, and dragged her away, telling her that it was okay.

  
  


After some time, the score was: red team: 5, purple team: 2 and yellow team: 3, Adora scored 2 of those goals and assisted the other, the red team goalkeeper only allowed 1 goal, she was really good.

When training ended and everyone hit their respectively locker room showers, Adora wondered if she did okay, it was her first training, she had to be up expectations, she was ex-captain on the horde, she led them for three years, three finals, she stopped the water and got herself back into her change of clothes, some other hoodie and sweatpants, she saw that Glimmer was waiting for her.

It surprised her, she thought that maybe the girl was already sick of her.

The girl looked at her ”Hey”

”Hey” said Adora back ”thought you were already gone?”

”I– mean I thought about it too, but– day is still not over, I have to show you the way out, haven't I?”

”Right”

”Alright, let's see if Bow is already outside”

Bow wasn't still outside, so Adora and Glimmer stayed seated on benches looking out to the parking lot, there weren't many cars, and it looked like everyone had already taken off to their homes.

”Adora”

”Mmm” 

”I'm sorry”

Okay, now she wasn't expecting that, she almost slipped off from the bench.

”Don't worry”

”No!– I mean– it wasn't okay, here we– I shouldn't have judged you, you were right I don't know you– I was being stupid and I don't know what you overcame…so I'm sorry!” 

Glimmer had her head down, Adora couldn't believe it, she couldn't understand how someone could trust her after all she had done with the horde. She didn't deserve it.

”No– I'm from the Horde, you are right you shouldn't trust me”

”Maybe not now” she turned at her, eyes little glassy ”but I hope someday I can, and you could too”

Adora closed her eyes, those were words she wanted to hear, but ”but you and Bow–”

”Bow was the one who talked to me actually– he already knew you were from the horde from his dads, but he made me realize that what I was doing was wrong– well I mean you did too” she smiled ”when you snapped at me, in front of everyone on Calculus”

Adora chuckled. ”Yeah, sorry about that”

”Don't be I was kinda acting like an ass”

”I mean you kinda were”

They laughed and watched the rest of the cars leaving. It didn't feel that awkward anymore.

”Yess! I knew you could do it!!”

They jumped off of the bench scared by some voice coming behind big bushes behind them.

”Bow!– were you hiding there all the time?!” Glimmer screeched.

”Yeah I didn't want to miss your apology” his voice cracked like if he was at the verge of tears. ”come here we need an official hug!”

Glimmer and Adora looked at each other, they shook their heads, barely annoyed at the boy and stepped into the hug. Adora was a little hesitant to wrap her arms around the two so she stayed still like a tree, but when Bow hugged her tighter she couldn't help but leave a little smile.

It wasn't a bad day after all.

* * *

”Man you should have seen me!– they could only score me one goal– and it was that blondie– but I tell you Catra– Captain Scorpia will be a wall this year” she flexed her arms.

They were walking to the parking lot, ready to get home, would it be called home if she still had her things in her foster mom's place? Was it home with Scorpia?

They entered Scorpia’s truck and made their way to her apartment, Catra was silent on the way, she was thinking of tomorrow and the program results, but also she wondered, what would it mean to her, now that she enrolled on it, only tomorrow she would figure it out.

”Scorpia could we pass to my... house?” it was weird calling it house, when it has never been a home to her.

The goalkeeper turned at her in a red light. ”Are you sure?– do you want me to accompany you inside?”

”No, it's ok– just stay there, I'll be fast” it was something she had to do alone.

Scorpia hesitated but agreed ”Okay”

They made her way to Catra’s place, it was close to where Scorpia lived, it was inside a labeled good neighborhood, of course, that's what people would say, but they never really knew what really happened inside those four walls.

”Wildcat, took whatever you need and be fast”

”Yeah”

Catra entered the place, on the outside it was painted a yellow inviting color, a welcoming color, she remembers as a little kid seeing it for the first time, the color has never changed, but inside it did, the cold colors that adorned the walls, were that... cold, a chill ran from her spine when she heard a pair of steps coming from inside the kitchen, a shadow, that's all she could see along with wine glasses on the coffee table. She was here.

She rapidly and silently made her way upstairs.

She opened the door to her ”room”, it was locked, she'd always lock it. She got in.

Many people would have something that represented them on their walls, a poster, photos or a trophies, but her room didn't, it never felt like hers, the gray walls and small bed and blankets, a single window, it was nothing like what she had at Scorpia’s place.

She took spare clothes and decided to grab her acoustic guitar she had hidden underneath her bed, this one wasn't the black one she once used to own or still imagined to have in her dreams, she can remember the time her foster mother broke it, she knew what it meant to her, from whom it came from, yet she didn't care when she slammed it down on the floor. This guitar wasn't her favorite but she bought it with her own savings, so it meant something to her.

She got out of the house, without looking back.

”Was she inside?”

”Yeah, but she didn't see me.”

Scorpia gave Catra a tight-lipped smile, it was meant to comfort her. ”That's good” 

They made their way to Scorpia’s place.

  
  


Back at the place Catra took out her guitar and started tuning it, it has passed some time since she last grabbed an acoustic guitar, most of the times she would only use her electric one.

But this time wanted to resonate along the guitar, she started strumming.

_🎶No me voy_

_Me alejo para ver mejor_

_Es hora de enfrentarlo_

_Ya no hay vuelta atrás_

_Náufrago_

_Es hora de pedir perdón_

_Es hora de olvidarte_

_De la búsqueda_

_De aquello_

_Que pudo ser🎶_

_ <I'm not leaving _

_I'm walking away to see better_

_It's time to face it_

_There is no turning back_

_Castaway_

_It's time to ask for forgiveness_

_It's time to forget you_

_Search_

_Of what_

_That could be > _

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: 
> 
> Náufrago – Siddhartha 
> 
> Tell me what you think about it!
> 
> My twitter: @catradoraxshera
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> My Tumblr adoras-jacket for any comments, complaints or suggestions lol :)


	3. Does it smell like a school gymnasium in here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The list is out who will tutor whom and also why does gym class sucks?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there!  
> The title of this chapter comes from the song: Two Slow Dancers - Mitski

  
”35... 36...37...38–”

  
  


She continued counting in her head until she got to 40 pushups, she had tried to one-up her total of repetitions each day, but for now, this twenty-minute routine will suffice, that's until she could find another gym to go to– _agh!_ she really needed to explore the zone more, she thought while laying down on the floor for a one-minute rest.

_..._

When Adora opened her eyes, a yellow stripe of morning’s sunlight, made its presence through her window, grazing her face and closed eyelids, making her stir, it was time to wake up, she stretched her legs and arms as far as she could, her fingers touched the bed headboard and with two little knocks on it, _as a tradition and reassurance,_ she rolled off bed. 

For the first time in years she could finally feel well-rested, not only her body but also... _her mind._

For instance, her body didn't feel all that sore, the result of all the training they had to endure in her old school. And her mind wasn't running with thoughts about _what today's plan would be or what facade she would put up for other people to see_ , neither was Adora debating whether or not she was doing the best thing she could offer

Add all this with the additional stress about filling someone else’s position.

But this, this felt... nice, something she hadn’t had in a while. She wondered if it was weird that after only one day of leaving and walking away, with no turns back from somewhere, could feel this different– this... peaceful?

  
  


Adora got up off the floor to fulfill her morning ritual. She entered the shower and turned on the tap for the cold water, to wake her body up, that way the cold water running through her body would induce her in an immediate state of alertness. Her body was already accustomed to this change of temperatures, though the flinch, the result of the first touch with the freezing water, still prevailed. 

Adora’s wardrobe mostly consisted of work out clothes along with hoodies, shorts and pants, she wanted to feel comfortable, that's who she was, she loved a comfortable fit, it allowed her constant movement… and control. She decided on a white and yellow hoodie and some dark blue pants, she wouldn't pay a lot of attention to her appearance, she grabbed her dark blonde hair and tied it up on her distinctive high ponytail and a puff on her forehead, with one last look in the mirror and a nod of approval she went downstairs.

Her grandmother was already up, she noted by the loud sounds coming from the kitchen– she mostly did– well whatever she wanted, she was really active for her age, some traits Adora herself inherited.

”Nana slow down” she called when she entered the kitchen, her grandmother was up on two wooden stools above each other, trying to reach for some plates too far up from her range.

She got closer and got them for her.

”Thanks dearie– now go! Eat, eat, that you need substance for school” she shooed Adora to the table ”Go!”

”Ok, ok, but only if you come too”

They sat down together, this got better with time, sometimes Adora felt so dull, she didn't appreciate the little parts of sitting and enjoying the moment with someone.

”So, I see you finally rested”

It was more of a statement than a question, the blue-eyed girl dropped the piece of food she took with her fork, her mouth agape, _how did-_

”And before you ask me how, I can see it on your face dearie, your eyes don't seem lost anymore or _questioning_ ”

She was speechless, could she really recognize that through her? Well she knew her the most after all, maybe Adora really was changing. She smiled and continued on her last breakfast bites.

* * *

  
  


“So– I heard you playing yesterday” Scorpia nudged Catra, she would always ask Catra why she didn’t play more with her acoustic guitar, Catra wasn’t sure why– well that’s a lie– _she knew why—_ and it was because she had that constant fear that her stepmother would know about it.

It was easier to control or hide the noise when she played her electric guitar.

“Yeah– and what about it?”

“I mean” She started fidgeting ”It's been months since I’ve heard you play–”

“Scorpia, I’m always playing” she was starting to get a little defensive, she wanted Scorpia to let this _topic in particular_ go, she didn’t want to talk about it on the first hour of the day. She wasn't a morning person, also she keeps wondering _Why the fuck won’t Scorpia let her have a cup of coffee??!_

Judging by the tone in Catra's voice, Scorpia knew it was better to not drop it, for Catra’s sake.

The tall girl knew she had a tendency to get on Catra’s nerves, she constantly wanted to talk about feelings. But— she recalls one day on her sleep, the same day of the anniversary of— well the Latina made Scorpia promise her she wouldn’t let her run away without talking about her feelings first, for at least two times a day– maybe it was the sleep deprivation talking after a long exhausting mixed with feelings day, the brown-haired girl had, but regardless if she meant it or not, Scorpia promised Catra to do that for her, to be that anchor for her, to not let the mind of her friend go back to that dark place. The one she constantly worried about going back. 

Still she feared to tell Catra about that promise, it was the only secret she was keeping from her best friend. 

”Wild Cat you know what I mean– okay don't answer that– but tell me this– it was also the first time you willingly wanted to go to your foster home– why?”

“Not my home and– I don’t know, okay??” she exhaled slowly through her nose, her head was starting to pounce. And a developing headache was the last thing she wanted before a gym class.

Scorpia left a sigh too, it seemed like her friend wasn't going to answer either of those questions, so she decided on something “Alright– we’ll talk about it after school... is that okay for you?”

Catra nodded, she was glad Scorpia was letting it go, for now. The left side of her head seemed to be thumping less.

“Ok now that that’s settled– isn’t it amazing?” their conversation made a totally new turn, Scorpia wanted Catra to feel better “We finally have another class together!! For a moment there I thought we would be separated for the whole year!”

Scorpia lifted Catra in a hug, they’ve just been separated for three classes, _geez_ . Catra tried to get out of the hug, but Scorpia just held on her tighter. Catra knew this was her punishment for evading the questions, she appreciated _some_ hugs, but it wasn’t her style getting hugged on public, she wanted to maintain her ‘ _badass, I don’t give a fuck what you think’_ attitude.

“Ok– _Ok! Scorpia_ , it’s enough, put me down I _can’t. feel. my. ribs._ ”

The tall girl rapidly let go of her, her hugs were like if you would’ve literally been embraced by a soft but still strong bear.

Catra breathed in and out, trying to let the air flow back to her lungs, she looked at the clock on the corridor, they still had time but someone was missing “Ugh– where is Entrapta? Isn’t she supposed to be in gym class with us, too?” The Latina wondered, she looked around for the purple-haired girl. No sight of her.

Scorpia scratched the back of her head “Oh– um– let me see” she got out her phone to check on the group chat she made for Catra, Entrapta and her, entitled “ _Super pal trio”_ it was mostly Entrapta and Scorpia the ones who chatted, but she still made it so Catra would know where to find them when she would rarely check her phone. She wanted to be the most considerate friend to ever exist.

“Mmm– she texted something about ‘ _altering her schedule and changing her gym classes for another hour of programming’_ – yep that” she nodded her head a few times and then shook it “I don’t– I don’t know what that means”

“A ver– presta pa’ ca” <here– let me see> Catra read the text from Scorpia’s phone, if you wonder why she couldn't take her own phone to read it, well it didn’t matter or occurred to her at that moment. 

Catra read the texts she hasn’t checked since two days ago, Entrapta did change her schedule, she was torn between being proud and surprised, she knew for sure Entrapta could do something like that, she hated gym class, just like Catra (yeah she liked to exercise and the feeling of beating everyone to the ground, but for her, there wasn't something appealing about making teams with other people, or the so-called ‘bonding’). And the wild-brown haired girl wasn’t worried about the purple-girl getting caught, she was Entrapta aka _tech master_ , she would find a way out.

Catra grabbed her backpack that fell from the force of Scorpia’s hug, then reclined in front of the lockers waiting for the moment the clock marked five minutes left so they could make their way to gym class, ”Alright let's go, you know I like to kick your ass at gym”

The taller girl raised an eyebrow on challenge ” _Oh_ you are on!”

Catra and Scorpia started sprinting all the way to Gym class provided by Professor Juliet, one of the most trustworthy teachers Principal Angella had, she had some military experience behind her, and students kinda thought she was dating professor Casta, _they haven't confirmed it, yet they haven't denied it either._

Catra arrived like two minutes before Scorpia or half of the class, she stood there checking her black nails, like if running half the school corridors wasn't difficult at all.

Scorpia arrived later panting ”I– you– how are you so fast?!”

Catra grinned, _what? she liked to run_ ”You know for someone who's part of the soccer team, I thought you'd run more”

The short-haired girl stood up, clearing her throat ”Well– goalkeepers do a different kind of conditioning, mostly strength or footwork or hand-eye coordination, that's _pretty_ different than doing dumb laps around the field” Scorpia finally composed herself, she raised her head ”You know you could've entered the soccer team if you wanted, you'd be a great winger or midfielder–”

”Nah I'm good” She ended Scorpia’s ranting before it started ”Remember I don't do well at teams and– I wouldn't have time, I'm intending to run a music channel too”

”Ohhh! that's right, speaking of it, when will you upload the next video??”

”I– I don't know yet I'm still thinking what song to cover next”

”Oh! Maybe you could do one with your acoustic guitar or–”

Scorpia was suddenly quiet, her gaze fixed intently at the other side of the court, stunned. Catra followed the direction of her eyes, and saw– of course– she rolled her eyes. Now she knows why Scorpia had ended up like a puddle on the floor and it was all fault of the garden girl, aka Perfuma. The same girl Scorpia has had a crush on for three years now, and honestly Catra couldn't understand why, yeah the tall and curly blonde haired girl was pretty, but she was all _optimistic, and good vibes only and friendly_ and– wait, stop right there, _what the hell,_ they could _actually_ make a good match.

”Todavía no sé por qué no la has invitado a salir” <I still don't know why you haven't asked her out yet>. Catra murmured to the astonished girl in Spanish, it was the only way they could talk without people eavesdropping.

For some time she has taught Scorpia so they could have their own secret language to conversate with each other, but well pretty much all the people already knew the language, if they used it, well that was the question.

”Yo– um– no sé cómo” <I– um– I don't know how> the goalkeeper responded with a sigh.

”Muy bien– entonces ¿no te molestará que vaya y le pregunte yo misma por ti?” <Okay– then you won't mind me going there and ask her myself?>

”Wait–what?!”

“It’ll be fine”

Catra was making her way to Perfuma until she saw– _her_ , the new girl, she was already changed on her gym shorts, and a white tee, like if she wasn't cold at all, differently from her, Catra was still wearing a black sweater. She kept her gaze on the blonde girl, Catra could notice that she indeed worked out, she could see that from the definition on her legs and calves and... no– _Catra wasn't staring,_ and yes she couldn't make her way to Perfuma because one, for some weird reason– she stayed put, and the second reason–which wasn't strange at all– was that Sparkles and Arrow boy were standing right next to her, and she didn't want to come across them. 

“ _Catra– wait no!!_ ” Scorpia crashed on her back, tumbling the slim girl forward, if it weren't for her quick reflexes she would have been lying face down on the floor.

”Scorpia what the hell?!”

”Hey it wasn't my fault... you were going to confess my ’ _not really deep feelings’_ to Perfuma!” she hushed anxiously ”What made you stop you anyways?”

Catra rolled her eyes ’ _not really deep feelings my ass’,_ Scorpia has been pining for the girl for almost all of high school _._ And Catra wasn't ready to watch her _crush on her_ for another year. 

Still, she kept her eyes glued to the same person, now was the turn of Scorpia to direct her eyes to the new girl but before she could ask Catra about the deal with the blonde forward, professor Juliet appeared and whistled everyone to get the class started.

* * *

Adora was surprised to find Bow and Glimmer on the entrance, she was even more shocked when she realized they were waiting for her, she thought that one day of them together was enough, that maybe she could continue her own path at Brightmoon, but it seemed that the two best-friends had other plans, they were really trying to ease themselves into becoming her friends.

She didn't know if she was prepared to be friends, and tell all the secrets/feelings she has stored, she didn't imagine having someone else to believe in her after literally her first day.

Did she want to try? Maybe, she wasn't sure, she could need some time or some reassurance but for now, she knew she had people around her.

Adora expected gym class to be filled with drills, some ropes to climb, obstacle courses and even a few protection masks. That was literally gym class for them on the Horde, she didn't expect it to be fun or some kind of _recreation_ , she kinda missed the bruises though. 

After some light stretching, she started sensing people looking directly at her, acknowledging her presence, she was a natural, she didn't get tired, she was accustomed to be a hard-worker. Even after 15 minutes of doing laps around the court, her legs weren't burning that much, she still kept the same pace since they started. She noticed by her side and little behind her were some of her soccer teammates– _they did this for fun after all_ – but she was amazed to find the same girl with a wild brown mane and mismatching eyes, _Catra_ , she remembers, equaling her pace. This girl was competitive, Adora would give her that.

The girl was getting closer, so she did the only reasonable thing to do, she increased her speed.

The soccer team, Glimmer, and Bow started drifting away even more but the olive-skinned girl was still by her side, Adora glanced at her, primarily to check if she wasn't going to pass out on her, but she seemed fine— in fact, she seemed to keep up without a problem— but aside from that, Adora was _half-hoping to connect their eyes_ , to remember the tones of blue and brown they had, but they didn't, she blinked getting back to the present, the other girl was still concentrated on the task at hand, eyes pinned to the front, Adora thought the girl was really composed. She redirected her focus on the _’race’_.

Catra was doing everything she could to not glance at the blonde girl and lose concentration, she was next to her, she felt her presence, her eyes, _fuck,_ she swears in one turn she felt their elbows graze, yet she knew that if she glimpsed back at her, she might as well trip on her own shoes and fall flat on her face. So she maintained her eyes to the front. Her sweater wasn't really helping her to stop the heat rushing over her body.

And how did they end up like this on the first place, well– everything started when she noticed the girl trying to one-up everybody on the class, she was fast, but Catra could run faster too, she wasn't going to let the new girl pass over everyone, much less **_her,_** so she sprinted half of the court, passing curious and astonished eyes on her way, _ha! who was the slowpoke now?_ And now they were head to head.

She never imagined pushing this hard on a gym class, generally, she would have stayed behind the soccer group of jocks, maybe even walk instead of running, but for some reason, there was something she kind of wanted to prove to the new girl, she wasn't sure what it was. Yet she wasn't going to let her get away with it.

The new girl was taller than her, so she had a longer stride, but Catra was lighter and more agile, she had this on her pocket– she doesn't know for how long they've been running.

Then professor Juliet whistled, they slowed down until the race ended, sweat was already forming down their necks and foreheads. Their legs were starting to feel the burn after getting their bodies to the verge. Trying to catch their breath, they looked up and that was the moment when eventually bluebell eyes– almost gray– met honey and electric blue ones, Catra could feel an almost shiver run her back, it was probably from the cold in touch with the sweat, she broke the connection after a few palpitations and looked for Scorpia, who was surprisingly talking with Perfuma and laughing, _well that was interesting,_ those two must have meddled while Catra was trying to beat the jock girl, she made her way to them, a smirk on her face ready to tease her friend, leaving— without a second thought— the new girl whose own mind was filled with questions.

Adora wasn't really sure what came over her, she felt the competitiveness that characterized her, rising up when the girl was next to her, not only that but she felt a strange sensation pass through her the moment their eyes connected, she didn't know what that meant, but whatever it was, she was glad to have finally found someone not afraid to dare her, _the girl could run_ , she was intrigued, why wasn't Catra on the team?

”Adora! Why did you do that?!” Glimmer chastised her like if she was a little girl. ”You can't go challenging someone, and _Catra– really?!_ Of all people?!”

”I don't know what you mean, she started it” she shrugged it off.

Glimmer shook her head ”Wow– both of you're–”

”Wow Glimmer calm down, Catra and Adora just had a friendly competition” honestly Adora thought Bow had a lot of patience with Glimmer ”Nothing to worry about, right Adora?”

”Yeah, nothing” her eyes followed the motion of the other girl, she was graceful on her step, almost cat-like reflexes. She walked with a sway on her hips.

Catra almost tumbled to her face, she could still feel that same tingling on the back of her head at the memory of those wandering eyes, ”Por El amor de She-Ra ¡¿qué mierda está pasando conmigo?!” <for the love of She-Ra, what the fuck it's going on with me?!> she whispered, she wanted to get mad, this wasn't supposed to happen, Catra wasn't one to think of someone else, she would be thinking about them _if she had lost against them_ , probably thinking about ways to plan her vengeance– _just kidding or maybe not_ – but honestly she wasn't even mad, she felt calm, she hadn't felt as free as how running from everyone else made her feel, she loves that nobody was next to her, they couldn't keep it up with her pace. However here she was thinking– maybe even considering the new jock girl as a worthy opponent. She was really going nuts.

And now watching Scorpia ’ _attempting to flirt’_ with Perfuma wasn't the best way to get her head out of it, she wanted to _vomit_.

”¡Ya bésala!” <Kiss her!> she whistled to Scorpia, a teasing smirk on her face, she saw the tall and buff girl getting reddening cheeks and sputtering her words when Catra called her out, she laughed. At first glimpse Scorpia would look like someone really intimidating or someone to be feared of, that was Catra’s main thought too when she saw her that first day in seventh grade, she was pretty tall and strong for a twelve year old, though she then learned that she was actually a big goofball, but hey Perfuma seemed into it. She can see herself as a possible third-wheel in the future.

”Alright now get in teams we are going to play some dodgeball” Another whistle, _ugh she really hated gym class._

_And ’Of–fucking–course they had to form teams’ por las re mil pu–_

* * *

The teams consisted of six players each, apparently Perfuma decided to join Scorpia and Catra, so they only needed three more– and you wouldn't believe who joined them–

” _Adora where the fuck are you going?!_ ” Glimmer whispered harshly at her, Adora only rolled her eyes, she wasn't her boss, she could do whatever she wanted.

”We need three more, I'm getting us three more and almost everyone is occupied”

”Yes but don't go…” Adora didn't listen to her ” _To Catra_ – ugh!!”

While Glimmer exclaimend to the void, Adora was getting towards the other three people. Honestly, Glimmer could chill the fuck out, _what's her deal with Catra tho? She seemed fine and honestly her abilities seemed good_ , Adora felt warmth on her face at the thought, she would blame the running. 

”Hey”

She called to the other three people, she lost most of her courage at the connection with mismatched eyes, she stopped on her tracks.

”Uh–” she saw Catra arch an eyebrow, _come on Adora, what's wrong with you? talk ”_ Um hey— so we wanted to know if you– well if the three of us could join you for the teams?

Catra wanted to answer the girl they were fine just the three of them, they didn't need them, though they _did need_ three more. 

But Perfuma beat her to it ”Of course! Come!” 

_Honestly why did she bother?_

”Alright!” it sounded more like a squeak, Adora blushed, turned around and waved Bow and Glimmer to come closer.

Bow had a smile on his face and started high-fiving Scorpia and Perfuma, screaming _yeah team!!–_ they were indeed their former teammates on the soccer field, he tried to high-five Catra too but the girl sent him an icy glare and a hiss? And he rapidly dropped his hand. Glimmer on the other hand, had her arms crossed on her chest, a sour look on her face, she wasn't glancing at Catra _at all_.

Catra saw Glimmer trying to ignore her, so she made her presence known ”Vamos Sparkles, cheer up, you are with the winning team after all” she saw her bristling and grumbling under her own breath, she grinned, ‘ _¡Ah!_ _que bien se siente hacer enojar a la gente’ <Ah! It feels great to make people mad> _

”Ugh! how are you such a nightmare?!” Glimmer argued.

“¡Ha! Años de práctica brillitos” <Ha! years of practice Sparkles>

Adora couldn't help but snort and grin at Glimmer getting mad, her snort didn't go unnoticed by Catra and the others though, the Latina's cheeks reddened, then rapidly looked away, the rest shrugged, they didn't want to know. 

When the moment ceased, Adora recalled something, ’ _Wait was Catra talking in Spanish?’_

* * *

It turned out that Dodgeball was pretty fun, Adora found out that she got to throw balls at people and hit them for fun, just like in the Horde, but back there it was called their _warm-up_.

The six of them made a pretty great team, they moved flawlessly, not getting into each other's path, Scorpia could really throw the ball at the other side of the court, after all she was a goalkeeper, Perfuma mostly caught all the balls which disqualified the other players, Bow and Glimmer really had a connection, one would throw and the other would retrieve the balls or vice versa, Catra and Adora were all about offense, it was like they could read each other, they’d know the place they should attack next or which player was the most– let's call it threatening and take them out first. They were until now the unbeaten team, no one could take them out and that made the others get pretty annoyed.

That's until professor Juliet joined the 4 other teams against them that they could actually do something meaningful. They took out Bow, Glimmer and then Scorpia and Perfuma, leaving only Catra and Adora against six of the rival team.

”What the fuck, she joined all the class against us!!” Catra exclaimed grabbing another ball to attack, Adora didn't know if it was directed at her or she just yelled to the air but she answered just as annoyed as her.

”I guess they knew that's the only way they could take us” 

She saw Catra’s lips rise up for a smile for just a millisecond, Adora grinned to herself, she didn't know why but she wanted to see the brunette smile more.

They've got this.

They moved flawlessly around their zone, soon Adora and Catra took three people out, they hit one on the chest and the other two on their legs, they were getting cheers from everyone. 

When only one was left, Catra and Adora connected their eyes and nodded, he tried to take out Catra, but she just dodged it with a gracious step to the left, then it was their turn to attack, they grabbed a ball each and at the same time tossed them to the poor kid, he couldn't do anything about it. They won.

Adora looked at Catra ”Great job” she smiled. A warmth passed through Catra’s eyes and skin, she turned, she can't be seen as a mess around the new girl.

”I know”

* * *

After gym, the rest of their classes went pretty normal for Catra and Adora, they haven't had another interaction for the whole day.

Their classes felt kind of empty, Adora still couldn't understand a single thing in Spanish, she couldn't wait to finally get a tutor. 

She couldn't do anything yet, so she spent the entire class making doodles on her notebook, most of them consisted on horse doodles, she had a weird fixation with horses, she thought they were really cool, her Nana used to tell her she would always ask for a horse on her birthday– it looked like that same fixation prevailed until now. While drawing her mind wandered back to Catra, the girl who challenged her but at the same time the girl who seemed to understand Adora’s every movement. She shook her head and continued doodling until practice came closer.

* * *

Catra’s day was pretty exhausting, she was nodding off on her seat for the rest of the classes, even at break she told Scorpia and Entrapta to not bother her while she took a nap on the table, _so this is what feels like to actually work in gym class._ As you could _see,_ she wasn't an active participant on the class, this was probably one of the first times she fully worked, Catra would only do the exercises or run while the teacher eyed them with a stern look and then she would stop when she turned back around, it wasn't that she was bad per se, just that she found it rather _unnecessary_ , she would let people start with the boring stuff and then she would take her turn to finish it, some people would call it lazy or opportunist, she would call it smart.

Actually, the last time she had fun in a gym class was when she would make fun of Sparkles.

Right from the start, Sparkles and her, had been head-to-toe on almost every subject, of course, Catra got ahead of her, when the girl failed one time, that was why Catra didn't do teams, aside from when she needed it in gym or at group projects, she ended up doing everything herself or being very competitive, she had always wanted to be first but people just thought she was an ass for that. And honestly, she could live with that. 

Actually– her altercation with the pink-haired girl happened in gym class, the reason, long-story short: the pink-haired girl was being _an ass_.

They were paired up in class and Gimmer was all in for making Catra do everything twice so it could end perfectly, but Catra wasn't on a right state of mind that day, she was furious at her foster mother for arriving all drunk at home, _again_ , calling Catra an useless insolent child, so she didn't sleep in that day, she went out on the middle of the night and crashed on Scorpia’s couch until the sun rose up high, of course, she didn't tell Sparkles that– she didn't want people pitying her, but as a normal and not–morning person, she didn't want someone up on her ass that early, so she called her a _’boluda_ y _pendeja’ <dumbass and asshole> _for thinking she was going to run laps that early of the day, so she laid on the court floor to infuriate the girl, they were the last ones of the class to complete the activity, earning her, the lazy reputation. 

Sparkles has been super mad at her ever since. Calling her a ’lazy asshole’ or ’scum’. 

When she least expected it, she was being poked by an annoyed teacher urging her to go, moving her from her flashback.

It was the last class of her schedule and the whole classroom was already gone. She slowly picked up her things just to annoy the teacher even more.

* * *

When Adora was out of the classroom, she saw a sea of students standing in front of a large paper, she was late for practice so she decided to come back after the whole crowd dissipated, she could only make out a few letters that spelled _Tutor_. Yep she definitely needed to come back, but first soccer.

 _‘Fuck I’m so late! Coach Huntara is going to kill me and dump my rests into the desert’. Adora_ could already feel the buff woman's wrath on her, and she guessed that being a newbie wasn't going to let her out that easily. 

When Adora arrived she tried to sneak out behind her teammates, but they were stretching and that meant that their warm-up had finished, _fucking amazing!_

“Blondie! Thanks for gracing us with your presence…” she checked her wrist “By being ten minutes late to practice” It looked like her attempt at blending in with her teammates didn't work, that or someone snitched on her.

She sighed “I know! I know coach but–”

“No buts! Give me twenty laps around the field!”

 _What?!_ Adora thought, “Fucking great!” she whispered.

“What did you say?!”

“Nothing!”

Glimmer and Bow looked worriedly at each other and then at Adora, who was already sprinting pass half of the field, they knew how important punctuality was for their coach.

* * *

_🎶 Me quieren agitar_  
_Me incitan a gritar_  
_Soy como una roca_  
_Palabras no me tocan_  
_Adentro hay un volcán_  
_Que pronto va a estallar_  
_Yo quiero estar tranquilo_

_Es mi situación, una desolación_  
_Soy como un lamento, lamento boliviano_  
_Que un día empezó y no va a terminar_  
_Y a nadie hace daño 🎶_

  
Catra was waiting for Entrapta outside of the History of Etheria classroom, she was trying to relax with her music but all the people talking in front of some big paper a few lockers down from her, made it impossible for her to concentrate in the song, she paused her music with a growl and took out her earphones, she was ready to speak her mind to them about silence and see what was it all about of that paper that made _un gentio._ She saw people starting to dissipate, just when the classroom door opened.

“It looks like the list of tutors is already up!” Entrapta signaled to the paper, she appeared suddenly next to Catra, startling her. “I wonder who my new lab partner would be!”

Catra’s eye popped, so that's what all that fuss was about, she was a little nervous– ‘ _So what!–_ _it was just a stupid list, I need the money, and I'm not going to let some stupid freshmen or junior students ruin that for me’._

However It'll be the first time she does something _selflessly?_ for someone, so it was like a new territory for her, one she was dreading before it even commenced.

The list was up on the wall, a long one by the way, she saw Scorpia getting closer, she was already changed, carrying her duffle bag and backpack, that was another reason why she wouldn't get into a team. Imagine carrying two or more backpacks through all the week– that and imagining the smell of sweat, _¡¡no gracias!!._

Scorpia seemed excited, after embracing them in a hug, Entrapta and her jumped right in front of the list and scanned delicately through each paragraph, while Catra hesitantly stayed back, leaning on the wall.

“Yes! I have a new lab partner. We will study science and I will show them all I know about the importance of human relationships!” 

Catra smiled, Entrapta would keep a log about people and the way they connected, she knew that because she's been part of it. _Against her will_.

”Oh!– looks like my tutor will be Bow!”

 _Great Arrow-boy, Sparkles boyfriend?,_ Catra sighed,well– at least Catra could stand him a little more than _Sparky,_ she grinned, great she’ll use that new nickname.

She was about to search her name on the list, when a pair of voices, filled the corridors, great ’ _hablando del rey de Roma’ <speaking of the devil> Catra _thought, here came Arrow-Boy, and unsurprisingly he wasn't alone, she saw the pink-haired girl beside him, always attached by the hip, but then behind them she saw blonde hair, upon a well secure ponytail, she wondered if the new girl ever wore her hair down, Catra shook her head. _Check your name fast and then get out of here before–_

”Bow! Over here!” Scorpia waved at them.

Catra closed her eyes, why would Scorpia do this to her, she tried to search faster, ’ _how many people had a C on their names! And why the fuck couldn't they just email us the results or call us, they asked for our numbers after all?!’_ The trio came closer.

Adora was annoyed, she had to stay back and pick up all their training equipment for being late, well at least Glimmer and Bow, waited for her, she saw the goalkeeper Scorpia, she wondered if she snitched on her, she was the captain after all, she needed to be responsible for all the team, Adora understood if she did, she would have done the same back at the Horde, just that it was different being at the receiving end this time. Next to her she also saw the same girl from her chemistry class who sat alongside Glimmer, and when she looked at the list she connected her eyes to Catra, who seemed just as surprised as her when their eyes matched.

“Oh Bow guess what? You'll be my new Calculus Tutor!”

“Oh what?! That's amazing!”

She rolled her eyes at Scorpia and Bow excited screams, those two together will be a force to reckon, a package deal she could already feel it, and she wasn't planning on being part of it.

She continued searching her name, _honestly who made this fucking list?!!_ She was about to give up when she felt a presence standing alongside her. 

“Can't find your name? It's a pretty long list”

Catra could feel the voice beside her, if it wasn't for her being shorter than the girl, she would have felt her voice on her ear, for how close they were standing. She remained quiet.

“I could look for your name if–”

Catra looked up at the new girl, wondering why she stopped or maybe what she saw?

“What?”

“Look” Adora pointed up almost to the first names on the list. Catra moved her eyes up, of course there were more names all the way up. “It looks like you'd be my new Spanish tutor”

 _What?! Of-fucking-course! Ptm! Me lleva la chingada!_ A turmoil of emotions passed through her brain, from annoyed to surprised to acceptance?.

 _Aghh!! Well at least the blonde girl wasn't all that annoying_ – _wait what?._

”They seem to be astonished” Entrapta whispered.

Glimmer, Bow and Scorpia nodded, they looked at each other, they didn't know what would come out of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter: Lamento Bolivano - Enanitos Verdes  
> That roughly translates to this:  
> They want to upset me  
> They incite me to scream  
> I'm like a rock  
> Words can't touch me  
> Inside is a volcano  
> That will soon explode  
> I just want to be calm  
> It is my situation, a desolation  
> I'm like a lament, Bolivian lament  
> That one day began and won't end  
> And nobody gets harmed

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> My Tumblr adoras-jacket for any comments, complaints or suggestions lol :)


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